--- title: "Mandarin M5 Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra" description: "Is Mandarin M5 the right Library Automation solution for you? Explore 64 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice." source_url: "https://www.capterra.com/p/29128/Mandarin/reviews/" page_type: "reviews" language: "en" publication_date: "2026-11-09" --- Mandarin M5 4.6 (64) Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/) * * * Last updated November 9th, 2026 # Reviews of Mandarin M5 Ease of use 4.4 Customer Service 4.8 ## Pros and Cons in Reviews AL Ann L LibrarianLibraries, 201 - 500 employeesUsed the software for: 1-2 years. “After using them in an Ohio prison and know how strong the bid process for companies to land contracts with the state, I knew they would be good for the charter school libraries I was creating in the state of Michigan.“ January 20, 2022 DI Daniel I Librarian Libraries, Self-employedUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “The ladies weren’t happy with me but because of the effort it had taken to get our libraries where they needed to be and the very fair price our district pays for the program, they lost the battle.“ March 23, 2022 LJ Laurie J LibrarianEducation Management, 51 - 200 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “Mandarin is so easy to learn and use. And on those ocassions when I don't find the answer, their customer service responds with efficiency.“ January 30, 2023 MC Marcia C Part-time LibrarianEducation Management, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: 6-12 months. “Our older system (Follett) was outdated and the cost to update it was too much. “ March 29, 2022 MC Marcia C Part-time LibrarianEducation Management, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: 6-12 months. “Mandarin came in and integrated our database with their software so I had a working database again -- and could go from there. “ March 29, 2022 CS Chad S LibrarianLibraries, 51 - 200 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “Financials do not integrate with SIS (FACTS/RenWeb).“ March 8, 2022 AE Ana E LibrarianEducation Management, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “Great customer service, ease of use, sufficient customization“ October 24, 2023 LJ Laurie J LibrarianEducation Management, 51 - 200 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “Still, nothing to report.“ January 30, 2023 ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 1-25 of 64 available reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use R Reviewer Library Media Specialist Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "Review from Jim" October 26, 2026 3.0 It's fine. The catalog search is problematic as well. One letter off and it says, "No results." I wish it were more intuitive like a regular search engine. Working with 5-11 year olds, spelling is often the issue in them finding the book on the catalog. Pros I like the reports and sorting features for book checkouts, overdues, classes, grades, etc. I also like the searching by AR level feature. Cons I don't think it is an exageration that I have to log into Mandarin about 6 times a day. It is frustrating to get kicked out/logged out so frequently. It happens on our desktop at the circulation desk, on my laptop, on the library iPads and on my phone. Being mobile and having access is critical but all the relogging in is cumbersome. Review Source R Reviewer Business and Technology Manager Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "Mandarin is great for us" October 23, 2026 5.0 It's been good because the system meets our needs. The technical support has also always been available and helpful. One of the few systems left where you can talk to an actual person and not be on hold for 30 minutes. Pros It's easy to use for our very basic library needs. I also like that our young students can look up books with ease. Cons Updating faculty users is tricky. I had to call the help desk to learn how, and the process was not intuitive. The online user guides don't answer my questions sometimes. Review Source R Reviewer Gestionnaire Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "Simple mais parfois désuet" October 16, 2026 4.0 Bon, mais il y a parfois des glitch!.............................................................................. Pros sa facilité d'exécution, simple la traduction en Français n'est pas toujours juste................................................................ Cons Nos livres en Français ne sont pratiquement pas dans le système, et la façons de sortir des rapport sont désuet Review Source R Reviewer Librarian Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "Convenient & Efficient" October 16, 2026 5.0 Recently I made more big changes in my library management records. The previous big change was eight years ago when we switched our school library management to Mandarin Library Automation. The convenient, accurate, and logical records kept by MLA made my changes very manageable. I was able to get back to the business of teaching in a very short time. Staff, students and families are all the winners. MLA makes library management beneficial for all! Pros Resources for all things library are available and work well at MLA. The "Library Assistant" resource has quick answers. Cons I wish hurricanes would not impact headquarters! Thankfully, the good communicators at MLA send updates! Review Source R Reviewer Office Manager Used the software for: 1-3 years ### "Great Option for Small Schools at a terrific price" April 26, 2019 5.0 We have saved money by knowing what is in our inventory. In the past, we have bought duplicate copies simply out of poor inventory control. Mandarin allows us to know where everything is at all times. Pros I love that we have the ability to not only automate our library but can also run our textbook management and electronics management through the Mandarin system. As a small private school, our budget is limited and anything that helps us control inventory and save money in the long-run is a worthwhile investment. Cons My only complaint is that it is sometimes difficult to find an item on Record Fetch. The system is not very forgiving with typos and not all ISBNs are in the system, even when the book may be. I also wish they would include Usborne Books in the system. We get many of these books donated to the school and have a difficult time logging them in the Mandarin system. Review Source R Reviewer Part-time Librarian Used the software for: Less than 1 year ### "Very Good Library Management Software" March 30, 2022 5.0 We went without a Library Software Management system for 10 years! Our older system (Follett) was outdated and the cost to update it was too much. Mandarin came in and integrated our database with their software so I had a working database again -- and could go from there. It works with our FACTS system so I didn't have to put in any patrons at all. I've felt very supported all along the way and will continue to need support as we move into Inventory this summer. Really a good company! Pros The company is excellent and the support is by far the absolute BEST I've ever experienced. If I email support or call I'm IMMEDIATELY helped. Outstanding is the best adjective. The software is very user-friendly. I'm not a full-time librarian so there was definitely a huge learning curve for me -- and the software was NOT hard to learn. There's tons of videos to help as well. The company completely integrated our old software program into Mandarin, so I didn't have to do anything -- except clean up our system. It's also fully integrated with FACTS -- our school management system. I'm very happy we went with this company. Cons I really need to use if for a longer period of time and honestly I don't have anything to compare it to because I'm not a "regular librarian" who might have had experience with other library software -- I have none. But, having said that, I think there are a few things that could be better. To Search for a "missing" book I look in "Status" -- but to do that I have to first go to Catalog and find the book's barcode -- that's an extra step. There should be a way to find who has the book or what the status is without first needing to look up it's barcode. So it's just a little cumbersome. Also, I'm finding that ALL my records are missing some key components that I'm having to add manually to each one. I wish there was a faster way to do that as well. But these are honestly very minor things. Overall, I'm really pleased so far. Review Source R Reviewer Librarian Used the software for: Less than 1 year ### "We were sold something other than what we received." April 26, 2019 2.0 When we decided to purchase this software we had very specific needs. We were told everything we wanted to do was already in the system or that the system would do it. Since then we were told it can't do what we were told it could do before we agreed to the contract. We are going to reimplement our old system because even though it didn't fit all of our needs it gives us more of what we need than what Mandarin has been able to do. We wanted specific data reports at our fingertips and was told it would happen. I have to call in and have them done for me and even then, the results are not completely right. We were told this system came with a conference room schedule system and that it would be easy to use. No such thing existed. The conversion of our old Database left out important information and books altogether. This is not as big a deal as I can fix this but the interface is not easily customizable nor is it user-friendly to anyone who doesn't know Marc 21. Going forward you should really not sell features you do not already have, or you should be willing to develop them for the release. Had we known then what we know now we would have gone with another company who could have offered everything we were looking for. We have spent grant money on this system that we felt was the best direction based on the information we were given, only to have it be something different. I am sure your system is a perfect fit for a vast majority but for us it is not working. Pros Visually it was better looking than our previous system. Cons It didn't do almost everything we were promised it could do. Review Source R Reviewer Librarian Used the software for: 1-3 years ### "Used it to hand link 4 school libraries" January 24, 2022 4.0 I loved the professionalism and the service that I got. After using them in an Ohio prison and know how strong the bid process for companies to land contracts with the state, I knew they would be good for the charter school libraries I was creating in the state of Michigan. After hand linking over 19,500 books with over 4,500 to go and having library aides take over the management of the other 3 libraries while I finished the 4th, I knew I made the right decision. Pros I like that I got want I needed, the ease of use, and the tech support they gave for the price. I saved over $12,000 over other systems and working in public schools every dime you save can go toward books for the library. Cons That I had to have 4 different logins for the 4 schools that I had to remember. I also didn't like that I had to call or email them for new login for the staff even though they quickly did them for me. Review Source Ngaafare R. Librarian Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "Mandarin Review" April 9, 2021 4.0 Inventory issues and also daily transactions that can be so overwhelming Pros It is easy use read and getting used to also there is less complications when performing daily transactions by just scanning a barcode Cons a more modernized user interface Review Source Joel W. Director of Technology Used the software for: Less than 1 year ### "Pioneer School District Libraries" December 7, 2021 5.0 The entire Mandarin team made the transition from Destiny easy and we lost no data. After the implementation we have received superior customer support (unlike Destiny) and the Mandarin teams seems to be able to solve any problem. Pros Mandarin is one of those systems that is built for the end user. It is simple and logical to use, powerful, but not overly complex. Darn near perfect. Cons Some of the back end features could be made more user friendly for those of us who manage the application. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Librarian Used the software for: 1-3 years ### "Mandarin is Convenient for Online users" April 22, 2021 5.0 Mandarin has helped patrons to access the contents of the library collection in the comfort of their homes. Information is simply a click away. Pros Mandarin is a server based software. This makes it cheap. With one license, numerous client computers access the application. Therefore, patrons access the library collection through the client computers. I have noticed that members of Technical Service Department of the library speed up work all thanks to client-server functionality on Mandarin. Patrons are able to access the library collection remotely online. In the wake of COVID-19, the library continued offering services despite the staff and patrons remaining in their homes. Cataloguing staff now have less work load as Mandarin allows them to perform copy cataloguing. Pre-recorded information of the resource is retrieved using record Fetch. Mandarin offers patrons with a good interface which helps them to search the contents of the library using topics, words or terms. More still, the advanced search features help patrons to filter searching into narrow specific terms. Mandarin provides patrons with links to e- books, audio books and other digital resources, making the library to become a digital one. Mandarin improves inventory control in the library system. Records pertaining to accessions list, books on order and other files are well managed. Cons Much as the software is efficient, less developed communities with poor internet infrastucture may find the software irritating due to internet connectivity issues. Beside, not all titles can be found on record Fetch. This compels catalogues to look for alternative sources of information. This process consumes time Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Lindsay limited company Used the software for: I used a free trial ### "Good point " June 20, 2023 5.0 Best to use Pros Easy to use ,understandable,supportive ,Great Cons No difficulty ,functionality, easy, reliable Review Source Jorge David C. Director Used the software for: 1-3 years ### "VERSATILE TOOL FOR LIBRARIES AND FILES" April 5, 2018 4.0 Your online technical support is fast and effective Pros This quick tool facilitates your work by its great search capacity, oriented to the format of those we know on the web Cons Taking into account that the software is quite complete, there are functions that could be changed and give more information to the material or document that is already expired or that is no longer being used Review Source R Reviewer website owner Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "Wonderful support group" November 1, 2022 5.0 Amazing and prompt help from Alex and Mike. They are willing to take the time to talk me through a problem when I am hardly coherent about a situation. Pros The package was not my choice. I had to accept what the Hispanic Society Library was already using but I could make it work in a short time Cons The Advanced Search functions at the front end need to be made more intuitive and work better Review Source R Reviewer District Librarian Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "Mandarin " February 13, 2020 4.0 Excellent! As always, the technical support team at Mandarin is outstanding. Their response speed, willingness to help, follow through, and accessibility is the best. Pros Easy to use, M5 Reports seems easier than old method Cons Would like more kid friendly features, such as video book trailer ability Review Source R Reviewer School Librarian Used the software for: Less than 1 year ### "Mandarin - A Good Choice" May 22, 2019 5.0 Overall, I love Mandarin and would recommend it. I am in my first year with this product, so occasionally I have questions. The customer service has always been kind, helpful, and quick. Pros I love that my card catalog is available online to families and is so user friendly for them. They love the visual search and recommended reading pages! The gallery is also a nice bonus, as is the blackboard. It is also extremely helpful that you can customize your searches to narrow down your results. Also, I, as an administrator, like how easy it is to carry out transactions for the students. Cons Filling in values for book information gets a little confusing. Adding a book using the ISBN is a great feature that automatically fills in most information needed. However, if you must manually add a book, then it is tedious looking up what information goes into what value number and field/sub-field. Review Source R Reviewer Media Specialist Used the software for: Less than 1 year ### "Great alternative for small and medium sized libraries." April 26, 2019 5.0 Mandarin is a wonderfully affordable program that has many bells and whistles for the price. Pros Ease of use Tech Support is very helpful. You can either watch videos or call for personal support. Cons search function for entering MARC records Review Source R Reviewer Teacher Librarian ### "Great software for general library circulation and management needs " May 17, 2017 5.0 I have enjoyed seeing the development of the services offered to our school as a library patron on staff at our school. Stepping into the role of Librarian allowed me to use the product much more extensively for management purposes. The staff at MLA Solutions offered training to help with this transition and over the years has aided me in applying the software features in our library setting. Due to the number of various users over the years, updates and maintenance has been hit and miss so we opted to use the hosted server to optimize the online accessibility of the OPAC to our patrons and learners. Always at hand to offer assistance, I have been able to request help with generating forms for the accounting office and troubleshooting issues during the inventory. It is terrific to have tech support available and I am certainly very pleased with the services MLA solutions offers us in Nagoya, Japan. Review Source R Reviewer Head Librarian ### "I have happily used the Mandarin/Oasis software for at least 10 years. " May 17, 2017 5.0 Mandarin was one of the first software companies to provide display of different languages to smaller libraries. Many years ago this capability existed for university libraries but not high school libraries. I am a librarian in a high school that teaches in three languages - English, French and Hebrew. I needed this capability and Mandarin has consistently continued to provide this option. They update their software on a regular basis, provide excellent , very responsive, and creative technical support. They will design reports for you if what is there doesn't quite work. M5 is a new design, clear, easy to use, and supplies all the functions that a high school library needs. There are direct connections to the Web, and news feeds, and the ability to design the interface as you want it. I highly recommend this system. Review Source R Reviewer Librarian (Head) ### "Mandarin/Oasis experience" May 17, 2017 5.0 I have been using Mandarin/Oasis for 10 years. I had looked at 4 different systems at 4 other high schools in the Montreal area. I liked the clear simple interface, without the template boxes, the best, and closest, to the interfaces the junoir colleges used at the time. The system is easy to use, and the team at Mandarin produce updates, taking into account librarian requests at least once a year. The tech team are exceptionally responsive to questions, problems that may arise, to producing customized reports. The ease of which one can use many languages is important for me, as we teach three languages at our school. I rate this product very highly. Review Source R Reviewer Library Director ### "GREAT SYSTEM FOR SMALL PUBLIC LIBRARIES" May 17, 2017 4.0 Our small but very busy community library in a small Maine town has been with the Mandarin system for several years. Their product gets better with each upgrade, the technical support when needed is timely and we are usually not impacted by "fixes." Mandarin has allowed us to move our library forward with new technology, ideas and services that ensure our library keeps up with our patrons' ever changing needs. The Library Governing Board and I recommend Mandarin as an affordable, reliable and excellent system. Review Source R Reviewer Medical Librarian ### "Library-friendly, school-friendly, technology-friendly--a complete winner!" May 17, 2017 5.0 Mandarin serves our diverse needs for cataloging, processing, circulation, and collection management--with a wonderful, caring, and very accessible Mandarin staff and support group right there to assist us at any time. We are deeply grateful and appreciative of your presence and assistance over all the years we have worked with Mandarin! Review Source R Reviewer Information Technology Librarian/Database Admin ### "I have been administrator of Mandarin Library Automation since 2005. The best thing about the softwa" May 17, 2017 4.0 The technical support is Exceptional!!! Whenever, I have a question or have any issue with the system they are a phone call away. I would definitely recommend Mandarin to other K-12 schools. Review Source R Reviewer Librarian Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "Excellent product, excellent support! " March 24, 2022 5.0 Mandarin has been a godsend to me. When I first took over our school library, I had zero experience in a library. Worse than that, it had just been built and our average book age was 50+ years old. On top of all that, we had just started adding curriculum to the mandarin system. Our previous librarian wasn’t sure on how to do that and she had added about 1/4 of the curriculum and done it wrong. I had a mess that most would have quit over. I spent hours on the phone with the help desk, during after hours I might add, over the next few months. I learned the program pretty quickly. It took a year and a half to clean up all the mess I had been left by the school. I could never have succeeded if Mandarin hadn’t been so good to help me. After that, I was able to take what I learned into 4 other of our libraries and fix their messes and train their librarians. We got a new head librarian a few years ago who wanted to switch our program to a more modern more expensive program. The ladies weren’t happy with me but because of the effort it had taken to get our libraries where they needed to be and the very fair price our district pays for the program, they lost the battle. Mandarin is the best universal, unbiased, multi-functioning program and in my opinion, they cannot be best. You may have book companies offer you deals but those deals are usually based on you buying from them. Mandarin allows you the freedom to run your library stress free and unbiased. They’re not paying me either! Pros I like that once you get to know it, you can really maneuver around the program very easily. I’ve rarely ever experienced the website being down, never during school hours. It takes all the work out of circulation. All I have to do is scan and shelve. Cons In the catalogue feature, when you’re adding or editing a single book, the fields are all numbered and not easy to know what you are doing. I would love to see that small feature become as modernized and easy to use as the rest of the program. With that said, it is easy enough to figure out, it just takes some time and since we don’t use it often, I have to get help every time I do use it. Review Source R Reviewer Librarian Used the software for: Less than 1 year ### "School Library Complete Solutions - Amazing Ability to Meet Your Students/Staff Needs " February 5, 2019 5.0 Mandarin Library creates a public face for our school that expands the resources that we can house on campus. It is a great marketing tool of academic resources that we can easily put within student/parent reach. I love the customized look I can give to my home page. Mandarin Library is a fun and intuitive program that meet budgetary constaints while allowing me to expand in new ways. I was nervous about learning a new system and found the changes made everything easier in library management. Again, Technical Support is a phone call away and they are the most patient, kind staff of experts that speaks volumes about this company. Pros We are a Classical School Pre-K thru 12 - This software has made my job easier and saves me time. The transition from our old system to Mandarin was amazing. I was happy with the ease of implementing the new system and tech support patiently guided any questions. I can't say enough good things about tech support - I love the speed & ease of inputting new records and barcodes for classroom sets of books in minutes. Physical barcodes are easily printed - a budgetary savings. I love the visual search - parents and students can link to ebooks, public library resources, college prep, homework helps, audio books, whatever I want to create a link for assisting research and resources - the world is at our disposal. Parents can easily email and send book requests. An economical high quality services for private schools with small library budgets. Technical support is amazing 24/7 and they are great teachers. Training library help is very easy. There is no need to purchase MARC record as the record fetch has most titles and it is very easy to create your own record. I highly recommend this software for ease of use and ability to expand circulation options. We separate textbooks and general library but it is all in the same catalog. Teachers easily check out their classroom textbooks. I am re-cataloguing sets of elementary books and tech support makes global call number changes saving the time of bringing up each title to change the record. Cons What is there not to like? I love this software!!! Review Source